


Follow Me Home

by Megalohdon



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Adventure, Friendship, M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-25
Updated: 2012-03-25
Packaged: 2017-11-02 12:08:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/368817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megalohdon/pseuds/Megalohdon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“How in the fuck did you even get those up there?”</p><p>            “I climbed the tree and tossed them out, how else?”</p><p>            “Two things, English. One, the gig is up, you just admitted you did it. Two, most people just throw them up and the shoes do the rest.”</p><p>            “We both know the gig has been up, Strider… Ah, I knew it seemed rather silly while I was doing it.”</p><p>            “Can’t see why you wouldn’t just not go through with it.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Follow Me Home

**Author's Note:**

> Before Dirk got his name. Adventures and best friends and... Thievery? How odd.

Every time.

Every damn time he came out to visit on this god forsaken island did his host saunter off in the middle of the night and hide something he owned. Always something different, because when they went out after he discovered the item missing it was never recovered. Well, to his knowledge at least. In Dirk’s defense he really didn’t care to know if Jake found the items he hid, or what he did with them when he did.

But when the blonde wakes up one morning to find his shoes, of all things, missing from his luggage, he can’t help but allow his immediate reaction to be a sigh and a head shake. He had visited quite a few times, so having this happen wasn’t exactly unheard of or unexpected from the adventurous fiend he forced himself to consider his best friend. He had contemplated actually locking up his luggage sometimes before flying out to the island, but never did. Jake would just figure a way into them anyways.

Groggy minded and dazed, Dirk rose from his side of the bed (the normal guest room was currently “under construction”, though he was wiser. He knew a pumpkin fiasco had gone on in there, but he didn’t care to know the details about it) and waltzed downstairs to the living room. From the spiraling staircase he could see the tanned male crouched up on the couch, drinking what Dirk assumed was hot chocolate, grinning like a mad man at the television.

One thing the blonde failed to notice each visit was when he woke up to find his belongings missing and went to confront Jake, he was always watching one of the Indiana Jones movies. Well, now things were starting to make a bit more sense. Every time an item of his went missing was a well thought out plot for an adventure. And son of a bitch it worked every time.

The blonde fell onto the couch beside his host, taking the warm mug offered him and indulged himself in the sweet liquid. Ah, coffee. English hated it, said it was “far too bitter” for his tastes. Dirk loved it though, bitter or not, it kept him on edge, and that was just the way he liked to go about his day. Each small sip was heaven to his taste buds. He just prayed the cup would never end.

Jake made no attempt to say anything to his guest, eyes clearly pinned on Indy as he took charge at his offenders. He wouldn’t be the kind to deny these were his favorite parts. Or the fact that Dirk took it upon himself to be a distraction in the middle of all the awesome spewing across the television, “Jake, I noticed my shoes were missing from where I left them.”

A calm sip from the other accompanied a smile and eyes shifting their target to Dirk’s being, “Ah yes, your shoes. If I remember correctly I saw them above a tree, dangling over a waterfall. It’s a true wonder how they got up there.”

“You do know we are going to have to go get them now, right?”

“Oh yes, well aware actually.” He sets his cup down and leans over the side of the couch, pulling out a pair of explorers boots and hands them to Dirk, “I had these tucked away, but I figured they would fit you. Can’t have you going out into the wilderness barefoot!” The blonde sighed and turned the shoes over in his hands, “I’m going to kill you for this, English, you know that right?”

“Can’t see why you would. It isn’t like I had anything to do with the disappearance of your shoes!”

“Of course you didn’t. Completely innocent.”

“Yes, see, you understand. Now, go get dressed. Can’t adventure for your lost shoes in pajamas, I’m afraid.”

The boots were a tight fit, and looked terrible with his outfit, but they worked for what they needed to accomplish. Jake’s giddy, nearly bouncing around in circles as he shuts the door to his home before pointing off in the general direction of where he didn’t happen to take Dirk’s shoes. Just a fit of chance that he strolled past them and located them at all!

The blonde sighed, shrugging his shoulders up in a stretch as his eyes searched the landscape. Thick underbrush and what looked like a dense forest. Who knows what was out there waiting to eat him, or Jake for that matter. A fun little adventure, Jake assured him of it multiple times through the bathroom door as he dressed. It was always a fun little adventure.

His head rolled over to the side, resting on his shoulder while those ember orbs pierced daggers into the side of Jake’s head, lips parting to sigh again (purely for effect) before he spoke, “Can we get started already, or do we have to do some stupid pre adventure ritual?” Jake jerked his head towards Dirk’s direction, blank expression forming into a wide grin as he smacked Strider’s upper back gently, “No, no of course not! You’re right, we best be off now to be back by sundown! The forest is fierce at night, no one would want to be out there during the evening hours.”

“Ah. Yeah those beasts of yours don’t like to be bothered when they’re awake.”

“You knew they were nocturnal? Well it appears these adventures of ours have paid off!” He took hold of the blonde’s wrist, dragging him onward while the other begrudgingly followed behind. This was not fun, he was hating this already, and to make it worse, Jake was having the time of his life it appeared.

Crawling through brush and twigs and trees was not Dirk’s idea of a good way to spend his Saturday. His arms were cut up, there was another gash on his left cheek bone, his face was flushed red from the heat outside. This place had to be hell; there was nothing else it could be. In Jake’s mind this was heaven. His own little piece of heaven on Earth.

But when Dirk took his time to observe his friend, he could see how much this meant to him. How much spending time with his best bro cheered him up. He paid even closer mind to the way he interacted with the small creatures that flocked around their feet. The smile that crept across his face was adorable (Dude, no, his best bro is not adorable). He always took it upon himself to show off his knowledge of the creatures and plants around them.

And even as the day drug on, and the heat became more miserable as their legs tired from the walk, neither dared to complain. Jake’s enjoyment was obvious, a sheer beaming ball of happiness that bounded through the forest with no care in the world. Dirk’s was masked, but was there. It was hard not to enjoy this. This is why he would never say no, why each visit he allowed his items to be hidden; because it meant that much to Jake. And despite a cool façade, Dirk was no asshole. He humored his friend because he knew Jake didn’t get to show off like this on a normal basis. This was something every kid got to do, but Jake.

Necks craved and hands cupped over their eyes to block out the sun, two pairs of eyes stared upwards into a tree, following the movement of the bark and the curves the wood sported as the target they were searching for was spotted and locked on. A nice pair of red and white Adidas, tied together, hung from a branch, dangling dangerously over the river below. Right downstream, just as Jake had explained earlier, there in fact was a waterfall. And this good day seemed to shoot down hill, right along with the rushing water. At least for Dirk, Jake was still very much enjoying himself.

“How in the fuck did you even get those up there?”

“I climbed the tree and tossed them out, how else?”

“Two things, English. One, the gig is up, you just admitted you did it. Two, most people just throw them up and the shoes do the rest.”

“We both know the gig has been up, Strider… Ah, I knew it seemed rather silly while I was doing it.”

“Can’t see why you wouldn’t just not go through with it.”

“I can’t see how we would be standing here if I didn’t.” Ah, well. That makes sense. If any unsaid action Jake made about as to why he stole Dirk’s items, that statement confirmed it. Just spending some time with a good buddy of his, doing something he loves the most. Even if it irritated the blonde there were never any arguments about it. Dirk knew that he just wanted to have an adventure with someone, someone preferably who was a good pal of his. All the adventures he took during the days were ones he took alone. Having to do something like this by yourself couldn’t have possibly been fun. And Strider was sure it wasn’t, which was why Jake went so out of his way to get him to do these silly things.

A tired arm fell and ember eyes fell upon the raven haired male. If you tilted your head a bit and squinted your eyes, it was highly possible you could see the faint tracings of a smile that creased his cheeks as he spoke, “No way in hell my ass is crawling up there and getting those. You owe me a new pair of shoes, English. Let’s get back it’s going to get dark soon.”

The other dropped his own arm, head turning to stare at the blonde, rather surprised that Strider wasn’t going to fight him on who had to go fetch them, “Ah… What? How in the hell am I supposed to do that, Strider? But, yeah I suppose we should, it will get late soon.”

“Fine, I’ll figure something else out of equal value as a trade in I guess. Shit, why are we still here, lets go.”

It’s been a long day, especially for adventuring. Tiredly stomping into the house the two males kick of their shoes, Dirk falling onto the couch first. His feet ache, his legs ache. At this point, his whole body aches and cries from exhaustion, burning from over exertion though revels in the break they are granted on the couch. His head rolls back against the back of the couch, legs spread wide and arms draped lazily to his sides.

Jake came next, dropping down beside Strider, though deciding to use the other as his support, rather than the couch used by Dirk. Neither complained, just adapted. Dirk’s arm closest to Jake willingly draped over his shoulder, tugging him closer before his eyes drifted shut. The other seemed to notice, leaning his head back to stare towards closed eyes, “Dirk?”

“Yeah?”

“Um… How tired are you?”

“Not as tired as you think I am.”

“What? Bah, that’s absur…”

And just like that the adventurous mastermind was silenced. Not with a finger or some look like Strider normally would use. But with lips. Soft, supple lips that he wouldn’t dare admit that he craved to have pressed to his own. And now they are and his heart is racing, pulse quickening near instantly at the contact before he takes notice that he needs to do something. After a rather awkward moment he begins to return the kiss Strider had started. A whine sounds as they part, eyes fluttering open again to see a smirking blonde leaning down over him, rather content with his work, “Your adventures are so stupid, but I love them. You’re still just as clueless as ever though, doesn’t look like that will ever change.”

“Ah… I would beg to differ at this point.”

“Oh you would? Hah. Come on, I’m tired. Let’s go to bed.”

“Please don’t make me move.”

“It’s just up stairs, Jake. Shit, you drug me out all day to look for my shoes, you can get your ass up and come to bed.”

“But I’m tired.”

“Too damn bad, man.”


End file.
